Joseph and Yusra
by MsNutella
Summary: Misc. Comic based on the DeviantART Comic by Sakura, "Joseph and Yusra"


**Note:** Sorry for any spelling/grammar mistakes, just tell me if you review and I'll be sure to take any good advice to improve in writing...Anyway, this is a fanfic for the comic on by Sakura, who allowed me to write for all of the comic! ^-^ I hope it's okay, it's not my best but I hope to improve and get used to writing fanfictions again, as usually it's easier to write my own plots. ^^; Just please, I'm requesting critiques for this to help me improve! What you like and what you don't like, and what I need to change in my writing style .

Original Story/Comic~ art/Joseph-Yusra-Chap1-130776238

Thanks again, Sakura!

~MissNutella

Joseph and Yusra

Chapter 1 "Learning to Smile Again"

** The Middle East, in a small town on the day of a Monday. **

**July 10th Twelve Thirty PM, Iraq. **

It was the usual hot day of the Middle East in the small town somewhere located in Iraq, it was filled with the chatter of men, women and their children. The markets were always busy so it didn't bother most people as they walked through the loud crowds of others, shoving as they tried to get out of the hot crowds to their homes or even to one of the market stands... The town was full of life as some children played on the streets while their mothers chased after them to tell them not to get into any trouble and to be careful while outside playing. The men went off to the market, some bringing their wives as they discussed what they needed to get and to bring home to their children. The sun poured down on people like the rain, except for it wasn't refreshing at all, matter of fact it was pouring buckets of heat down onto their backs and heads. The wind whistled from time to time, bringing a small relief to most of the civilians as they continued on with their busy and long day.

Off in the distance, shouts of market stand owner and the laughter of children filled the air from time to time. What seemed like three stray dogs barked in the distance at each other as an angry man shouted in Arabic at the dogs to get away from the market stand he was opening up for the day of customers. It would bring off the customers and won't bring in any money, so he shooed them off quickly with his hand and a few words in his native tongue. It was the usual day, it never seemed to change.

_**Tip! Tap! Tpp! Tpp! Tap!** _

A young boy ran down the small hill nearby and out of his parents small property and into the large crowded streets of his small town. His dark brown eyes were frantic as he looked in every direction, panting from running in the hot weather and shouting for what seemed like hours. Though the boy knew it was not that long...It must've been at least six minutes since he last saw his hyper sister run off from him as he turned his back on her just for a second! Where on Earth could she have gone so quickly?

"Yusra! Yusra!?"

Panic filled his tone as he continued running and bumping into small crowds of people, mumbling sorry to them as he continued on. Though after awhile, he slowed down little by little in despair. No reply, not even the sight of his sisters bright hijab caught within his eyesight once, what would their mother and father say about this? Losing sight of his little sister into a large, busy market. He wanted to cry after a minute of realizing that he would have to return without her and tell his mother and father, which he didn't want to but what else could he do? He asked four people nearby if they've seen the girl, but they all shook their heads and went on with their lives, ignorning the little boy. Suddenly, his eyes caught attention of something moving in front of him nearby. He thought he had seen his sister, and was about to call out her name again but it turned out to just be his imagination and it was a women holding the hands another girl, her daughter.

Cold air swept past him as a rusty bike with a tall teenager riding it passed by him in a hurry to get to his next destination, ringing the rusted sounding bell as it chimed at him, his eyes followed the bike as he let out a big sigh. Taking a couple minutes for a breather, he began to run again as fast as he could. After awhile of catching his breath he yelled for his little sister once more,

"Where did you go!?"

_In the past, everything was normal. I used to live in the Middle East with my family...Times were hard but we did our best with what we had._

"This isn't funny. Come here right now..." he shouted, "Yusra!?" he yelled again and again, cuffing his hands around his mouth as he did so to keep the wind from carrying his breath away, though it would do nothing to help him find his sister. His dark eyes once more continued to search the crowds of people surrounding him on the streets. A young women passed by with dark clothing and a black hijab on her head, it thought it was his Mother at first but thankfully it wasn't. She was home, but he couldn't just return without his little sibling and see the face of his Mother losing her only daughter, who knows what could happen to such a little girl on her own? He hoped to see his sister somewhere within the crowd as he took a break from his long run, he stood still as he caught his breath once more and put his hands on the top of his knees, looking all around. Suddenly, he heard the familiar voice of his little sister behind him. Thank Allah! Turning around with a look of relief on his tanned face, glad to see the pink dressed girl with her eyes sparkling with an innocent smile curved into her lips. She held a small bouncy ball in her hands, some dirt sticking to it from the long chase she had to get it back, some people kicked it as she got near to it and she found it near the corner of an alleyway. It was her favorite toy, and the only toy she actually owned as her brother passed it down to her when she was just three years old. It was like money to her and special. She couldn't bare losing it and seeing some other child take it for him or herself...

"I'm sorry, I dropped my ball and it rolled away so I went after it." she told him with an innocent look on her face once more, her eyes sparkling and her cheeks rosy red from the run. Her eyes gleamed with joy up as her brother walked over to her smiling, just glad she was okay.

_I was really young back then, so I don't remember that much but I remember my older brother who I adored. We spent a lot of time together. _

Her brother, Yusuf, bent down as he scooped her into his arms. A look of annoyance, yet some relief and joy, was written over his face as he looked around at the people and then back down to his little sister, ready to head back home to their parents as it got busier by the moment. The boy he saw earlier rode back passed the two young siblings, a leather bag strapped to his back and bulging with supplies to bring home to his family. The wind from the bike brought a sigh of relief and cool feeling to Yusuf, his face beating red from the run.

"Ok, but don't run off again." he said, his dark eyes stared into her light eyes, he almost looked and sounded like an adult when he said it, yet with more care.

Yusra flashed a small grin as she looked up to Yusuf, nodding her head as she began to play around with the bouncy ball in her hands. She giggled as she did so, her brother smiling down at her with bright teeth as she continued. She even told some of her search to her brother, her voice speaking with excitement yet worry that she wouldn't find the bouncy ball.

_Everything was fine until that day..._

"Let's go find mom and dad."

Yusra let out a giggle in agreement as she finished her short tale of finding her item, she bounced the ball against her brothers forehead with joy gleaming in her eyes, _Bonk!_

_**RrrREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!**_

A loud pitched whistle filled the air, a sudden ghostly silence filled the crowds of people as they looked up into the shining blue sky. Panic looks striking their faces, the children knew little but could tell it was danger as their Mother or Father grabbed their arms and ran off screaming in bundles, pushing people to get out of the way or to run faster. Yusra looked up as her brothers eyes froze in horror, holding her one ear against her brothers shoulder as she looked up to the missile crashing down into the buildings surrounding them.

"Run away everyone! A missile is coming! Run! RUN!" to the people inside their homes, windows opened to let in the air and their creaky home doors opening and women and children running out, the men last of all.

High pitched screams filled the air, remaining at the constant tone as more people tried to push their way to safety from the dangerous weapon of destruction. One little girl was on the side of a wrecked up shack building, crying and holding a small stuffed animal in her arms, a man quickly picking her up into his arms as he ran by and pushed into the crowd. The missile hit, shaking the ground with terror as four buildings crumbled around the people

**_BOOM!_**

The glass of buildings shattered into pieces and flew into the air like tiny missiles, the building crumbling under the high pressure of the terrifying threat. Crumbs from the baking hot building blew up into steam, smoke replacing where the walls used to be and some bodies flew into the air. Yusuf looked as a building piece came hurling at them, he couldn't look as he closed his eyes and waited...The ball in Yusra's hand rolling away from her with a shriek she lost her shaking grip onto it.

_We were suppose to die that day but...Something incredible happened, it was unexplainable. _

**_WHAM!_**

Yusuf was kneeling down, covering his little sisters body well holding her tightly in his arms as the part of wall came hurling towards them in a fast speed, small shards falling off of it as the missiles forceful wind sent it flying towards them in seconds. Death awaited them, Yusuf was sure but continued holding his sisters small figure in his arms, praying quietly and mumbling in her eyes over and over to keep her eyes closed. She obeyed, but nothing happened. She didn't feel hurt at all...She felt her brothers hot breath in her ear, flying through the thin cloth of her pink hijab. Quick minutes flew by as she finally opened her eyes along with her brother, who still kept her in a tight trembling grip.

_Then..when I opened my eyes...it was over..Allah had protected my brother and I, but for some reason, Allah needed my parents, and had taken them, as well as the others that day. _

"Someone help me here please!" One women screamed in a distance with terror and her voice breaking as she went into tears of panic, she was covered in glass and pinned under a small wall of once her home, not getting out in time. Her hands were bleeding as she touched her face and bawled out for help, her voice cracking with fear.

"Ahh! NO WHY!?" a little girl screamed in terror, gripping onto her mother's hands as they looked at the huge destruction. They ran over to the women pinned down and tried helping her to remain calm while another shout filled the smoky air,

"Have you seen my sister? Anyone!" A little boy cried out, stuttering with the panic that his sister had probably died when the missile struck. Someone screamed reasurringly as an ambulance siren filled the deathly silence in the air when it began, blood was spread out on the broken down walls and the remaining glass. Bodies were spread out separately on the hot building pieces, eyes staring up in the skies without their expression changing.

_'...Mother...father...'_

She began to burst into tears as the ambulance came closer, the crowds growing larger but giving room for the vehicle to get through and to the injured, trapped and to the dead bodies that needed to be found and identified. Women and children were shrieking with panic, their voices loud as they spoke quickly to each other of the event that had suddenly occurred. Yusra sat up and leaned her hands against her brothers, tears streaming down rivers on her dusty face as she continued to cry. What would happen to them now?

_None of my relatives in the area wanted to take both me and my brother..._

_So they sent me far away..._

_and I never saw my brother or my friends again..._

_I felt...alone. _

**Part II of Chapter 1**

**United States of America.**

**8:00 Am, Thursday. **

The city was busier than what Yusra ever saw in her short life, when she arrived to her new and strange home in America to live with her Aunt Muna, cars were beeping like crazy and zipping past like it was a race. The airport was busy as well, it scared Yusra a little bit till she found her Aunt looking for her with a red hijab covering her face, she remembered the soft motherly voice from when she was younger and immediately hugged her Aunt Muna's arms, tears spilling out of her eyes on the ride to her Aunts house.

_Beep beep! _Was heard constantly as the time passed and people hurried to get to work while their children rushed to get to their bus or into the school on time. As most homes were loud and full of rushing people, one house remained quiet. A young women wearing a long skirt and long top shirt, with dark hair that reached below her shoulders and bow to tie it like a hair band walked away from the counter with a white bowl, roses dancing at the trims for decoration, and a new box of cereal for her little niece to eat for her breakfast. She poured the contents of the box into the bowl, which filled up like it was a glass of water. She stared at it, then titled the box up as she sighed. In her small, soft voice she called out to her niece,

"Hey, Yusra? You awake yet? I made some breakfast."

The wall phone began to ring, the women looked over at it as she walked towards it.

_I guess I should call myself fortunate, since I moved to America to live with my Aunt, who decided I'd have a better future there. _

The women nodded her head as she picked up the phone, she walked out of the kitchen as she hadn't heard a reply from her niece yet. She peaked into the open doorway and into the dark room, listening to the phone as the person luckily had to put her on hold.

"Hello, yes...I'll hold." she put the phone down by her hip as she walked towards the small bed with the small figure of Yusra curled up under the blue wool blankets, sniffling was heard as she shook the young girls shoulder.

"Hey, Yusra. Time to get up. You can't just stay in bed all day." she shook her again, this time she did so gently, finally resting her hands on her nieces shoulder as she stared down at the girl who was dripping with tears. Tear drops fell onto the clean white bed sheets, leaving a dark stain as she sniffled again and nodded her head in reply to her Aunt that she was going to get up and ready, her Aunt sighed and walked away as she put the phone up to her ear and walked to the kitchen slowly, her foot steps fading away lightly.

_I didn't care if it was safer there or not. I just wanted to be with my brother...However, I had no say in the matter. _

The lights to her bedroom shone brightly, her Aunt Muna's footsteps soft against the wooden floor as they got further away and faded into silence once more, something Yusra wished for more of and to just lay down in the new bed. Yusra got up slowly, lifting up her warm blanket as she looked around the half empty room. Her bed, dresser a nightstand and a small closet for her clothes. She got up and touched the cold floor with her bare feet as she headed to the dresser where her outfit laid out, smooth and neat as if it were just ironed by her Aunt not too long ago. She pulled the dark blue skirt and top onto her as she put her night clothing down on the bed. She tucked in her short dark hair, pulling on her hijab last of all and tied it up tightly, and slowly as she still didn't want to go and eat breakfast. She tucked in the loose hair pieces as she walked to the bathroom to brush her teeth, then headed towards the kitchen as slow as she could go. Her Aunts soft voice filled her ears, she almost sounded like her mother. She held in her tears as she entered the kitchen, going towards the kitchen table with her breakfast waiting for her to eat.

Her Aunt Muna was waiting on hold once again as Yusra entered the kitchen at a slow and almost tired like pace. She looked at Yusra as she walked towards the chair, where her breakfast sat on the table. Muna pulled the phone away from her ear as she looked down at her niece "Um...Yusra, don't you think you're too young to start wearing a hijab? That's for married women."

The response was a silent pout, Yusra's light eyes glared up at her Aunt as she pouted and made a cute, saddened face. She crossed her arms over her chest, but said nothing as her Aunt replied in a haste.

"Ok! Ok! You're a very dedicated Muslim. I'm sorry, just don't give me that face. Do what you want."

She was going to continue, but heard the man's voice again on the phone as he called out to her. Yusra walked over to the tall chair and heaved herself onto of it, sitting down before she could slide off as she looked down at her cereal. Her eyes saddened as she picked up the cold silver spoon that was placed on a folded napkin next to the bowl of milk and some strange cereal she's never seen before, she looked down as she listened to her Aunt talking over on the phone while she was pouring two glasses of Orange juice for them both to drink.

Muna put her hand up to her hair when she was down, rubbing her forehead as she looked to her left and out the opened window, which lay above the sink.

"Um no, it's not mine. It's my nieces...No luck? I really hope it can be found, it has all of her precious things in it, I mean it's all she owns. Ok...Okay...Thanks, bye." She looked down with frustration as she hung up the phone, looking at Yusra from the corner of her eye and than back down at the oak wood counter top. Hanging up the phone and walking over to her niece, she sat on the chair at the corner of the table, looking at Yusra as she held a glass of Orange juice in her hand, she leaned her head against her free arm and looked at her niece with a smile.

"Hey, I know! Let's go to the playground. Doesn't that sound like fun?" she said as cheerful as she could, smiling as she continued when she saw the look Yusra gave her,

"I mean, you need to go outside and play with other children and socialize. You can't just stay at home." she said sweetly, smiling softly down at her and hoping her niece would agree to it.

She dropped her spoon back into the bowl of milk, crossing her arms as she almost shouted at her Aunt,

"I don't want to go outside," she cried out "I'm afraid I'll just blow up like my parents did. Can I just stay here, please..." her eyes pleaded, she looked scared and angry...her eyes threatened to spill more tears.

Muna looked shocked, worried at how to explain she was safe, her mind was busy with thought

'Oh my goodness. What do I say to that?' she waved her hand in a downward motion as if shooing away a fly, or almost in a panic movement. "No you won't. Come on, let's get ready to go." she felt a drop of sweat go down her forehead as she closed her eyes tightly.

**...15 Minutes Later...**

The loud laughter of children filled the air as they got closer to the bright and shining playground, Yusra held onto her Aunts hand tightly as they got nearer to the laughter of the little children. When they arrived at the foot of the playground path, Yusra suddenly cringed into her Aunt Muna's skirt and buried her head into the soft cloth.

A look of surprise caught her Aunt, she looked down at her little niece and pushed her off of her skirt and looked at the children, than back to Yusra.

"Oh no. You can't just stay with me. You need to go and make some friends!" she pushed her niece gently, her hands were cuffed together and her eyes squeezed tightly as her shoes dug into the soft ground. She opened them as her aunt walked over to an empty bench under a tree, pulling out her cell phone when it began to rang for the fifth time since they have gotten here. She was always busy.

She looked around, staring at a boy as he swung on the bright red monkey bars to the little blonde haired girl, wearing a short skirt and a sleeveless top. Her light eyes looked everywhere till she found a empty spot, it was the swing set. She walked over to it slowly, pulling herself onto it as she looked around the playground frowning.

Yusra breathed in the fresh air as she struggled to reach her foot on the ground, trying to get the swing to push into the air. She failed, sighing she looked over at her aunt, who of course was on the phone.

"Hey Auntie, um...can you come over here and push me on the swing? Please.." she looked over sadly at her Aunt, sighing.

_Auntie was always too busy to really pay attention to me. She didn't do it on purpose, though. Still, I was always by myself._

_'What am I going to do now? Who will push me?' _she thought to herself, tears threatening to spill again as she tried to rub them away with the edge of her sleeve.

"I can." a small boy walked up to her, his hair was dark and he wore an orange shirt and shorts. He wore a tiny cap on the back of his head, he walked closer towards her as he spoke up again, sounding a little unsure as he did.

"I think it was you? The sad voice I've been hearing..." He said as she rubbed the tears off her cheek, frowning.

"Please don't cry anymore. When you're sad it makes me sad inside, too." he said, looking down at her with a soft gleam in his eyes.

_Sad voice? Me...? _ she thought, she spoke aloud the boy.

"My friend." he smiled and replied to her, his voice cheerful once more as he saw she looked a bit happier,

"I'll play with you, and I'll push you on the swings too." he tucked his arms behind his back shyly as she looked at him, her head titled as she stared at his face and as he walked up to her.

"Hang on!" he called out to her as he grabbed the swings chains and pulled back, her eyes filled with a little shock and a bit worried.

_Swoosh! _The swing swung up into the air lightly, the breeze passing by her face as she smiled and looked at the shining, bright sky. She giggled as she heard birds tweeting in the distance, flying together in a group. She felt happy, relaxed as she swung back down and back up again and again, letting out small giggles as she got a little higher into the air.

_Swoosh! _Again, he pushed her lightly up into the air. He let out a small childish laugh as she giggled with joy, kicking her feet up into the air as she was pushed back up.

"My name is Joseph. What's your name?" he called out to he finished laughing, Yusra thought before replying, "Um..It's...Yusra." she said, she looked back to see him smiling as he replied over to her in a cheerful and questioning voice, "Say, Yusra. You wanna be friends?" he asked, hoping she'd accept, which she did with a simple okay as she swung into the air again, laughing as she closed her eyes lightly.

**...Later that Day...**

The sun began to sink slowly beyond the tall buildings, cars were passing by in a hurry to get home and get some rest before another busy day tomorrow. It was time for both Yusra and Joseph to go home, Josephs mother waited in the distance well she was talking with another women as she was waiting for her son.

"It's getting late and I have to go home now." he looked down at her, seeing her eyes sadden at that,  
"Don't worry, we'll play again sometime."

"Really?" she put her hands together and up against the bottom of her chin, "Thanks again for pushing me on the swings." she said, her eyes sparkling once again.

He grinned, walking away slowly as he looked back and waved at her, "L'hitroat, Yusra. Goodbye."

_It was weird how we got along well. For the first time in a long time..I was able to smile again. _

"Ma'a as-salaama, Joseph. Goodbye!" she called out, her aunt called her name as she watched Joseph walk away and waved back at him, she turned around and ran up to her aunt, a cheerful smile on her face. She skipped happily to her aunt, smiling and giggling from the fun day and her new friend.

"There you are Yusra." her aunt reached out for Yusra to take it, which she did. Muna looked down at the sudden change of her nieces attitude, smiling with joy in her eyes "Wow. This is a change! I'm so glad to your smiling again. Did you meet a new friend?"

Yusra looked up at her aunt, giggling as she replied "Yes I did! He was really nice..." they began to walk down the street, holding each other's hands as Yusra explained the day at the playground with her new friend,  
"...and pushed me on the swings and we had fun!" she said, running out of breath as she tired from the long day, her aunt replied with a hint of cheer in her voice "I'm glad, we'll come back again sometime."

_Since that day, I didn't feel alone anymore. However, being young I didn't know, it wouldn't last..._

**Ending Note:Thanks for reading if you did, hope you enjoy. Leave a review for any advice you have for me, and what to keep in mind while writing the next part...Eh, this was a little rusty sounding but I hope you still enjoyed even if just a little...**

**Yes, Girls don't wear a hijab till they go through puberty, but I believe some don't wear a hijab until their married. It's strange, I agree but it is what it is *Hate that saying, yet uses it all the time.* I began wearing my hijab when I was ten :P I love the thing like a blanket haha. Though, I can't wear it in school for some stupid reasons . **

**Music listened to while writing and editing: **

** watch?v=_EsSYkE3CCw**

~MissNutella


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